WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Ambergris]

3 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

 

The one I have can be plugged into the car for recharging, too. But it takes 18 hours to fully charge!  My car needs to be running in order to use that accessory; and while it may be okay to recharge a cell phone, I don't think it's practical for the battery, and I can't afford to pay someone to rewire the car so that it wouldn't have to be running to do so.

ouch

If I were on the road, driving hours and hours to get home from somewhere, that might be practical.  But working around the house after a hurricane, no. 

After the last storm, we topped mine off with the car a couple of times, plugging it in every time the car was turned on for any reason, but were able to plug it into various wall sockets in town for the major recharges.  Also, I don't think it would have taken 18 hours to recharge on the car.  I don't know how long the current one takes to recharge.  It's now a backup item.

[Jeepers]

I'm not sure how safe it is on the car battery to keep running a charge on it. I ran my hearing pad with the car running on long trips. It didn't take very long for me to have to replace the car battery. Coincidence? Maybe . But I don't do that any more and this battery has been fine for years.  

 

On second thought:

I was actually using the pad and not charging it. Could have been the difference. Don't know.

[Littlesister]

I have been thinking about a bigger canner than the one I have, but would be to tall for stove because of vent hood. I can only can 7 quarts or 8 pints at one time.  I am thinking about getting out the outside propane burner to use it on and sort of setting up a small outdoor kitchen just for canning. But could only use it during the summer months.  Winter time I could only can indoors. I really want to make sure that old burner still works. Might have to get DH to clean it up for me and check it out.

 

Jeepers,  I agree with everyone here. You need to get moved and soon. One floor is all you need. No steps. 

those goose neck faucets are great. I have one on my kitchen sink.. Also having a sprayer on the sink will help in filling up those large pots.  I use that a lot when canning.  I can just set the large pot on counter next to sink and use the spayer. Much easier getting the pan of water to stove than lifting it out of the sink each time.

 

I have been really busy with kitchen still. Got all the cabnets cleaned out with new shelve paper down.  Got clothes washed today and cleaned more of the cement dust out of garage. Now I am 3/4 of the way done with getting that cleaned up. It is a two car gargage and full of cleaning items and DH tools and such, plus our huge freezer, washer and dryer also is out there. So it has been a hard mess to clean up.  Will be cleaning down the outside of the cabnet doors in kitchen tomorrow and washing the kitchen curtains.  Will be glad when that is all done and I can get into the bathrooms to give them a good scrubbing. Wish I had the speed I used to have. Old age is not for sissies. Have really slowed down a lot in the last 3 or 4 years. And my back is killing me right now from all the cleaning but must keep going.  

 

[Jeepers]

Definitely no more two stories for me, Littlesister! I was a lot younger when I moved here. I had X-rays on my back and spine and it said arthritis, stenosis and something else I can't remember. I asked for an MRI but they said because I'm on medicare, they have to do an X-Ray first. They also said my knees were okay. No they aren't they hurt too. I'm going to try to wait it out and when I get moved, get new doctors. I'm starting to have trust issues where I go now. 

[kappydell]

Wow!  I have been reading & catching up on everyone's activities!  I have been such a schlub, lazing around.  My new disease of the month has revealed itself.  I am quite miffed.  Here I had things all ready to go to get my back fixed and a new monkey wrench gets lobbed into the machinery.  My "little" hernia that has not been bothering me, decided to act up - got a loop of instestine pinched in it.  I have not been that sick since chemo.  Passed out twice while throwing up.  It is an odd feeling waking up on the floor and having no idea now you got there.  OK, so I then decide I will sit on the bed when I need to ralph.  Nope, woke up on the floor again.  Decided it might be a good idea to go to the ER.  Spent ALL DAY down there - they discovered the issue, and set me up for surgery.  Then the real pain began. 

I got  NO COFFEE FOR 48 HOURS and that migraine was worse than the hernia, believe it or not.  Nothing by mouth - not even liquids - until I was fixed the day after I went in.  I was hurting and cranky as hell.  

The hospital was jam packed and I had to park in the ER until a bed was freed up by a discharge.  Then they started asking about AFIB - (Atrial fibrillation).   Yes,, my heart beat gets wonky under enough stress, I told them.  Oh my, they panicked and put me in ICU.  My chemo portal finally got some use - I had thrown up so much they could not get a vein to run an IV.  My veins are the rolling, hide and seek kind anyway, and this made it worse.  So they were de-lighted to find my portal had been kept all these months, ready "just in case".  

Surgery went fast, lapararascopes are wonderful, now I have 6 MORE holes in my abdomen where they inserted a mesh to repair that hernia.  They discharged the day after surgery.  They were so busy I bet that bed never cooled off before it was filled again, LOL.  No complaints about this hospital, (except the usual institutional food) good care all around otherwise.

The aggravating part is that they stuck me on elequis for the afib - and that is NOT a friendly blood thinner for spinal surgery. 

However, I have follow up apointments with 3 docs this week and I am going to investigate whether I can  - or need to - go on another thinner.  I will NOT be happy if I have to choose between avoiding a stroke and standing up straight (and the return of normal functioning of my back).  The back doc said my "Kyphosis" (forward hunch) causes problems with internals (like that ol' herma?) so I was so excited about fixing things.  I am holding on the the hope that it is not going to stop the surgery, just modify how they do things.  . Meanwhile, I can only lift 5 pounds - a pot of coffee - and poor Chainsaw Mary had a rough couple of days worrying about me.  I cant even help decorate for Christmas.  

 

On the plus side (yes there is one) the local store that advertises "the best meat in town" had a wonderful beef sale - T-bones, Porterhouse staks & bottom round roasts all on sale, with another 10% off yesterday for veterans with proof of service.  Mary brought her military ID and we loaded up the freezer.  Tonight we are having a great big crock pot of beef stew, perfect for the cold rainy weather.  Hopefully they will have at least 1 or 2 more sales like that before prices go uo in the new year.  And yes, they DO have the best meat in town, and the most fascinating assortment of "variety meats" I have ever seen - from hog maws to chicken "paws" they have it all, LOL.

Mary might grimace, but I hear those chicken paws make awesome broth!

Edited November 12, 2019 by kappydell

[kappydell]

On 11/9/2019 at 6:27 PM, Littlesister said:

I know things are lining up and war is going to happen at some point. Russia, Iran and Turkey are our enemies and they want to destroy Isaeli. But we are their alleys and Russia feels we need to be out of the picture before they can attack Isaeli. So Russia already has the weapon that will take us out.  It will cause a country wide EMP and destroy our military and kill millions of people. This is what I am trying to prepare for now.  All this is in the Bible as to what is going to take place in the end times. Isaiah 9:10 John 8,  Acts, Ezekiel 37, isaiah 17, jeremiah 49,  Russia is Maggog accordain to Ezekiel 38:15 and 39:2 maggogs army has many allies, Persia, which is now Iran, That changed to Iran in 1935. Damasus will be a burning heap and we will be out of the picture as Russia will sent that weapon to cause an EMP.    So much of my Bible prophecy study is really beginning to make since.  

So please be ready as the end is very close now. I just hope I can get fully prepared within the next year. As we really don't know if Trump will win or what is going to happen. But I don't think things are looking good for the USA right now. And yes I am over this impeachment mess as it is covering up what is really going on in this world. 

 Yep.  I am having trouble convincing Chainsaw Mary that we need to prep for NO ELECTRIC for years, versus just hooking up the gennys for a couple hours.  I too have the uneasy feeling we are sliding into the tribulation times (especially if we end up with socialistic fascism....what a combo....) and we keep working on making our place as self sufficient as possible.  I have to find a decent source for more canning jars......

[Littlesister]

Kappydale, I did not know you were having a lot of medical issues.  Will be keeping you in my prayers.  My DH is on elequis.  It is one of the only two that if you are injured they have something to stop the bleeding.  If you have surgery, you will have to come off of it for 5 to 7 days. That will give it time to get out of your system.  It is a good blood thinner.  Don't be afraid to take it. Only thing is that a small scratch will bleed like you really cut yourself.  If you go to the drug store just look for the bleed stop. I keep a lot of it here. So far only had to use it about three times over the years DH has been on the blood thinners

 

I posted earlier in another section while readling up on the economic collaspe that the Deep state Dems. don't get Trump impeached, they will collaspe the country to keep him from winning a second term.. Also got an e-mail from USA alerts that Tel Aviv Israel is under rocket attack following IDF killing of Islamic Jihad Commander Baha Abu El-ata. Public bomb shelters are open. This is surly the end of days as the Bible predicts. Israel may deem this as an all out war.  The Bible says keep your eye on Israel. So just watching for the signs of the end times and trying to prepare as best I can. But I always try to follow God's will as to how I should prep. More long term food that I am looking at but cannot buy till after first of year.  And looking at ways to cook without gas nor electric indoors. That one is harder than I though it would be.  I did buy some sterno cans a few days ago. So that is a start but need to head to Sam's club and BJs wholesale club soon as well.  I like BJ's as they take any coupon with their coupons and I can coupon them to death. Big savings when I do that. 

[Jeepers]

Darn Kappy, sorry you went through that. Glad you got it fixed though.  

[Mt_Rider]

Kappy, sorry your medical stuff is stacking up like grocery carts!  Sheeesh!     Glad you were pleased with this hospital!!!    Will pray that your greatly desired surgery for standing straight can be accomplished safely and with best results!   

 

I thot I was going into town to see my folks today but.....I seem to be glued to the bed.      Just one of those days.   

 

Y'all that are catching your first splash of WINTER....take note of what winter preps you are still missing.  Before the BIG stuff hits. 

 

MtRider      <----  lovely brain....I've typed that code 1,000 times and today...I couldn't figure it out.  Aaargh!  

[kappydell]

yep we are having a hard freeze tonite, so the winter garden is all covered with tarps to snooze thru the cold.  In 2 days we will have 60 degrees again.  Tthe garden is looking wonderful,  and our transplants are growing like crazy.  Soon we will be making our first pickings, much to the delight of those we share with....Littleister, can you use haybox or thermal cooking?  Bring food to a boil then remove from heat, wrap and leave until it is cooked.  I tried it, and liked it.  It helps keep telltale cooking smells from attracting various varmints because you boil it such a short time.  Plus you can wrap/haybox/thernal cook/wonderbox several things at one time.  And it adapts to any slow cooker recipe, without the electricity.....

If you want a pretty thermal wrap, a company called "wonderbagworld.com" will sell you a very pretty single pot size one for $39 for a 2 qt size, and large (up to 12 qt size pot) for $59 - much cheaper than Amazon ($104 - YIKES).  They look like puffy drawstring purses.  thegrommet.com used to carry them but no longer, though they have a nice crank butter churn ($39) and quite a few 'green' and non-electric gadgets like butter keepers, single serving coffee presses and fermentation kits at good prices.  Christmas is a coming....I already sent Santa my wish list, lol.  

[Homesteader]

So sorry for all your medical issues, Kappy.   We're supposed to be enjoying retirement. DH and usually get lots of vacation miles on the truck ... enroute to the doctors. 

[kappydell]

4 hours ago, Homesteader said:

So sorry for all your medical issues, Kappy.   We're supposed to be enjoying retirement. DH and usually get lots of vacation miles on the truck ... enroute to the doctors. 

i get quite a tax deduction from the mileage myself.  As Mary & I often joke...our dance cards are full of doctors....

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Kappy, I'm sorry about your health stuff.  

 

 

It was down to 10 degrees here this morning.   I am very thankful for flannel sheets!  No worries of slitheries today. 

[Ambergris]

If you can't find a decent source, Kappy, watch for indecent sources.  With the White House occupied by someone who exemplifies and exalts each of the seven deadly sins, all manner of terrible things are possible.

[TheCG]

2 hours ago, Ambergris said:

If you can't find a decent source, Kappy, watch for indecent sources.  With the White House occupied by someone who exemplifies and exalts each of the seven deadly sins, all manner of terrible things are possible.

 

I'm rather convinced that exemplifying the seven deadly sins, or at least a very skewed moral compass, might be required for the presidency.

[Ambergris]

Jimmy Carter

[The WE2's]

Picked up some additional beef and 3 trimmed pork loins yesterday.  Got four nice sized roast cuts (I cut them myself) for just the two of us, cut some small chunks for beef and noodles etc. and butterfly cut the loins for pork chops. Fixed a pot of beef noodle soup yesterday...SO good!  Today went to Sav-A-Lot and picked up a small bag of sweet onions, a small bag of apples and some sweet potatoes...all on sale.  I jarred up all my sweet potatoes and onions so needed some fresh.  Also picked up a bagged veggie salad and a couple of tomatoes.  I needed a salad fix!  The weather has been extremely cold, but even though today was cold it was sunny so it did melt off some of the snow.  Took another load of laundry to the homestead and let my dryer there do the work while we did the shopping.  Also stopped at Staples and picked up another black cartridge for our printer.  Oh...ladies...Harbor Freight is now carrying twin sized wool blankets (60x80?).  Hubby picked up a couple last week but they were out of them today.  We'll keep checking to see when they get more in.  We want to buy at least two more.  People who are handy with a sewing machine can make really warm poncho's etc. out of them...or just sew them together to make a sleeping-type bag or ???  One can also make house boots.  Just a lot of warm things.  So...we've spent our dollars for the month but that's okay.  We're ready for old man winter.

[TheCG]

I have a cloak made from wool military blankets and lined with fleece.  Nice and toasty warm. 

[Littlesister]

Seems I will need to make a Habor Freight trip.  Lots you can do with those blankets. 

Kappy,   in order for you to feel better. 

I have been putting food such as oatmeal, grits, pancake mix, etc. in mylar bags with O2 absorbers. At least it will keep a couple of years if not longer past the due date. My gut feeling of adding more food and working harder to get things I needed turned out to be to just take the food I got and get it into mylar bags and the buckets. That feeling is gone now. 

Though I have been thinking about how I could cook indoors if things went south and we lost current for more that the 2 weeks we were without. Did fine for 2 weeks.  but an EMP type of thing is another story. Have lots of ways to cook outside but inside was the issue. Was on Amazon this morning for a bit and found 2 butane burners.  One is Camp chef mountain series one burner stove and the other one is Gas one GS-1000. 7,650 BTU portable butane burner.  First one was 16.95 and the second one was about 39.00  On sale. Also got 12 Butane fuel canisters on sale for 24.79..  When all was said and done,  All came to 80.74 plus tax and free shipping.  I used my prime points that have been building up and got it all for 23.00.  That was to good to pass up.  the stoves both had high ratings but we will see when I try them out. Then it was back to stuffing mylar bags.

[kappydell]

A nice quiet day after all of our running around to doctors yesterday.  Happily the cardio doc answered all my questions & says they will happily clear me for surgery.  Apparently the blood clotting issue with elequis is quite rare and in my case they are not worried as my various tests showed no blockages, strong heart, good stress test, etc.  Yippee!!  Tomorrow I  will go get the staples removed from the 6 punctures in my abdomen, and find out how long I am on this pesky lifting restriction (5 pounds or less - a huge nuisance) and am back on track for my back surgery.

 

We covered the garden the last couple nights due to hard freezes (temps down to mid-20s.  Uncovered this morning and everything did just fine.  The nice tall leafy mustard leaves perked back up after being squished a little under the tarp's weight.  The few broccoli that the deer nibbled bounced back too, growing back what was so rudely nibbled off.  We are thinking we will have to fence in and hang Irish Spring soap bars around our new apple trees, as the deer also nibbled a few twigs off those, too.  THAT MEANS WAR, of course....Pretty soon we can start picking the outside leaves of our greens - the bok choy is looking particularly robust and tempting.  

 

The Christmas decorations have all been located, and checked for serviceability - and Mary did blow up the new "blow-ups" in the dining room because she was dying to see them.  

We will start putting up lights tomorrow, moving the flower boxes that were on our garden shed down alongside the bottom to create a wind break underneath the shed for the local feral kitties who stop by now and again to shelter when they are in the neighborhood and the weather gets bad.  No problem, they harm nothing, eat little,  and don't hang around long.   

 

 

  

[The WE2's]

Hubby went to the library and did a little work on the bathroom project but then felt a bit weezy so he came home and we just hung around.  Fixed some soup and gave him a couple of motion sickness tablets.  He seems to be feeling fine now.  May have been a slight blood pressure drop...I have experienced that myself and it's scary!  The weather is still pretty cold but the sun's been out and again melting snow.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be much warmer so perhaps the snow will be gone and the ground will dry up a bit.  We have developed a little "game" with Abby-girl.  We lay a sheet down between the back entry door to the porch and the steps into the breezeway to the door into the house...then it's "up...down...up...down...up...down" and she get's some exercise as well as drying her feet off!  What a pup! She'll be 9 this December!

[Mt_Rider]

18 hours ago, kappydell said:

we will have to fence in and hang Irish Spring soap bars around our new apple trees,

 

 

The not-dear deer!      We didn't find the Irish Spring to deter at all.  Possibly human hair....know a barber/beautician?  Hang in net bags -- that veggies come in??  I always save those for odd uses.

 

Mostly up here - good ole FENCING....  It has to be really high ...and/or ......really narrow.  So they'd feel too squeezed to jump into a narrow space.  'Course we also have ELK.      Elk toes in my carrots one year.... HUGE! 

 

Our broc was also targeted...back in the day when we gardened here.  Finally put a bucket over the remaining heads.  But it cuts out the sun.  I wonder if securing some thrift-store wire sieves/colanders might deny those deer lips access?

 

Another day for me.  I so wanted to go visit my mom this week.  DH back to work over weekend....  Get so few things done in the times I have energy.   

 

MtRider 

 

 

[Littlesister]

Kappy, keeping you in prayer that your surgery goes well with no issues. 

Grandson's 18th birthday today. So going to daughter's tomorrow evening for his party.  Haven't done a whole lot today. Went to store to pick up an RX.  Then came home and started pulling everything off book shelves in den to get everything dusted. I really need to go through cook books. I have way to many. Those are one thing that's hard to part with. So will see how it goes. Maybe just box up some that I don't use as much and put on shelf in garage where I can get to them if need be.   

My 2 butane stoves came today.. They are nice.  Hope to get to try them out in the next week or so. Waiting on the butane now. It will be coming in a few days.  I think these will work out good for what I want. 

Mt Rider, sorry you are having deer problems with keeping your garden to yourself. Guess they like to eat to.  We had planted cabbage one time and the rabbits would get in and eat half a head and leave the other side.  So nice of the rabbits to leave us just a little bit of our cabbage.  We only got one head that year.  

[Littlesister]

I have a question and need to know what would you do.   My kitchen and den are one room. There is a wall between the fridge and the book case that is on the den side of kitchen.  I just got through pulling all the nick nacks and I swear over a 100 cook books that I am going through and pack up a great many of them. Just keep out my canning books and the few that I use all the time. 

So I am thinking of taking a lot of the food I canned and putting it in that book shelf. Though everyone that comes to house would see it.  Not that it matters, but I know my granddaughter that lives in another state would be here and pack a big box to take back with her. I don't mind her doing that, but she is getting ready to get transfered across the other side of the state and I won't be getting my canning jars back. Which half the time I don't get them back anyway. And her DH threw away some of my tattle lids. GD found it out and fussed at him. So can't afford for that to happen again.  So what would you do. Store your food you canned on book shelf where everyone coming in would see it or leave it in bedroom in closet and underbeds?

thank you ahead of time on help with this issue.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Personally, I wouldn't leave it out for everyone to see.   One of my relatives has a small kitchen.   She has a pantry closet in her basement.   Really nice shelves.   Most are with big items that she doesn't use often (turkey roaster, canner, big soup pans, blender,  ect.)  She used to can (just from her garden, not tons) and stock ahead a little with sales and such on canned goods, pasta, baking stuff, ect and kept it there because of the lack of kitchen storage.   During a family reunion picnic, she opened up her pantry folding doors  to get out a bottle of ketchup or a jar of pickles or something.   For YEARS later, the other relatives STILL talked about the food in there.  And, years later were still resentful she didn't offer any of it to them to take home.     Honestly there wasn't loads of stuff in there, just what would more or less be in her kitchen cabinets if she had space in the kitchen.    Their reactions, even years later, stuck with me.